On the façade of this building, a white marble plaque reminds us that it was here, in via Carlo Poma 14, that Carlo Poma, a young patriotic doctor, once lived and opposed the Austrian government. At the top of the plaque, a laurel wreath symbolises eternal glory; beneath it, a cluster of oak leaves represents strength, tied together with a knot that evokes bonds able to withstand the passage of time. Carlo Poma was born in Mantua in 1823. He was a physician but deeply interested in philosophy, literature and foreign languages. He worked at the city hospital, dedicating particular care to the poorest patients. Motivated by democratic and republican ideals, he joined other patriots in the movement later known as the Belfiore Conspiracy. His involvement led to his arrest in June 1852 and imprisonment in the Mainolda prison in the centre of Mantua. To escape despair, he devised a clandestine way to communicate with his family, exchanging small notes hidden in his laundry. From these writings emerges a young man anxious about his mother and yearning for the affection of his loved ones. He wrote that only their love kept him from sinking into depression. Unable to visit him, his family tried to comfort him by passing beneath his window and whistling arias by Gaetano Donizetti. On some days, they sent flowers from their garden - geraniums, carnations, oleanders and cedar blossoms. After several months, Poma was transferred to the Castle of San Giorgio’s prison. Found guilty, he was hanged on 7 December in Valletta Belfiore, together with other patriots. His memory was honoured throughout Italy: many streets bear his name, as does the main hospital in Mantua. In 1868, even Mulo, the hometown of his mother Anna Filippini, changed its name to Villa Poma as a tribute to him.